While a lot of people are trying to do their best to remain clean and germ-free during this pandemic, if you’re using gloves please make sure you’re using them properly. When it comes to wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) if you’re wearing or using them wrong, they won’t be protecting you.
I recently came across a thread of posts on Twitter by Dr. Jacquelyn Gill that really got me thinking about this big time. Dr. Gill for those who might not be aware is an associate professor at the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute. She began this thread noting that when she goes on her weekly grocery runs she sees just how many people are using gloved improperly.
You see, as a scientist, Dr. Gill is trained well on how to use PPE, this including gloves and if you’re going to listen to anyone on how to use gloves properly, a scientist is one of the best people to hear out. Take a peek below to see some of what Dr. Gill had to say about how she’s seen gloves being used.
Based on what I’m seeing in my weekly grocery trip, people need a primer on how to use disposable gloves properly. As a scientist who wears gloves to protect me from lethal chemicals (abd to avoid contaminating ice age specimens), let me share some tips:
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
One of the most important things to remember: the point of gloves is not to not prevent you from “absorbing” the virus through your skin. If your skin is hydrated and you don’t have open wounds, your body’s natural defenses will prevent transmission through your skin.
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
(With all the handwashing, your hands may be cracked and dry: keep them hydrated with heavy duty hand creams!)
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
So why wear gloves? They’re disposable! If you touch a surface lots of other people touched, like a pin pad at a checkout counter or a door handle, you can throw them away and avoid transmitting any germs (like coronavirus) to your phone, face, car door, debit card, keys, etc.
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
This you would assume everyone would be aware of but if you pay attention while out getting the things you need, you’ll likely see tons of people doing things incorrectly. If you really want to keep yourself and those around you safe, you should be going the extra mile to make sure you’re doing things right and if you’re not throwing your gloves away after each use and are touching things you’re not cleaning off before handling again, you’re messing up. Dr. Gill went on to say the things below, and they are some things we should not let slip our minds.
Gloves will not prevent you from transferring germs from a contaminated surface to an I contaminated one! They aren’t anti-microbial. If you touch a doorknob with gloves on, then touch your face WITH THOSE SAME GLOVES, you’ve transmitted germs from the doorknob to your face.
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
Things I saw people doing while wearing gloves:
– opening a soda bottle and taking a drink
– touching their glasses
– adjusting their masks
– touching their car keys, debit card
– using their phone
*All while shopping in a store and handling groceries, their carts, etc.*
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
The only way gloves are effective is if you change them as often as you should wash or sanitize* your hands.
Read that out loud. Again. Make it stick.
*Good hand-washing with soap is more effective than sanitizer, but it’s not always something we can do outside the house.
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
If you have gloves on, and you’ve touched something, treat your hands as if they were contaminated. Period. Treat the gloves as an extra layer of skin that you can shed BEFORE you touch your face, your car door, or any surface you don’t want to contaminate.
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020
Yes, you have to change your gloves a lot but you should also keep in mind you can get by just fine without them if you’re washing properly and as Dr. Gill mentioned paying attention to the things you’re touching. Reusing gloves is a huge no-no and if you’re going to use them, please look into the things you shouldn’t be doing while wearing them if you want to get the most out of their use. Dr. Gill has seen so many unique instances of people doing things they shouldn’t while wearing their gloves and honestly, it’s kind of mind-blowing.
I can’t believe I need to add this, but: don’t remove your gloves with your teeth. Ever. Under any circumstances. Even if we aren’t in a pandemic. Even if you just chopped up some jalapeños. If you didn’t want it on your hands, you don’t want in your mouth.
— Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (@JacquelynGill) April 5, 2020